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1,20 m e o segundo a 1,80 m da superficie do solo. A po-da consistiu em deixar o ramo principal com diferentes comprimentos, a saber: 1,50 m; 3,00 m; 3,60 m; 5,10 m e 6,60 m. As colheitas de frutos ocorreram nos periodos de abril a agosto de 1987 e de janeiro a junho de 1988. A analise das duas safras, efetuada separadamente, mostrou que os niveis de intensidade de poda nao influiram na producao por planta, por hectare e nem sobre o peso medio dos frutos. Entretanto, no conjunto das duas safras, o peso medio dos frutos foi superior quando foi realizada a poda do ramo principal a 1,50 m, comparado com os resultados das podas do ramo principal a 5,10 m e 6,60 m. Made available in DSpace on 2011-04-09T12:14:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 pab14mar92.pdf: 445317 bytes, checksum: fcf7fe9118c2c0059d56120e11c53395 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2001-08-24

The relationships between applied stress, deformation and internal pressure of water filled inclusions embedded in soft soils were studied to improve understanding of pore-scale mechanical behavior and towards development of methods for in situ measurement of key mechanical properties. Analytical expressions for inclusion internal fluid pressure as a function of biaxial remote stresses and material properties were developed and tested with Finite Element calculations and experimental results. We found that the applied mean stress, matrix yield stress and Poisson's ratio influence pressure in a water filled inclusion. Internal pressure tends to be higher than applied mean stress, in contrast with established effective stress theory for saturated soils. Changes in inclusion shape is mainly controlled by matrix shear properties (changes in volume are negligible due to water incompressibility). The results of this study provide the framework for development of sensors for in-situ measurement of soil mechanical and rheological properties required for linking mechanical and hydraulic properties.

[1] Fluid flow in deformable porous media is of interest in many areas of hydrology, geophysics, and environmental engineering at scales ranging from individual pore to field scale. With increasing interest in pore-scale hydraulics, there is also the need to connect microscale with bulk material properties by suitable upscaling. In this study, fluid permeability through a stack of deforming spherical aggregates is described using analytical and finite element (FE) analyses. The permeability of an entire sample cross section was constructed from analytical estimates of individual pore permeabilities and from numerical solution to steady flow through the entire cross section of the sample. Experimental results of pore deformation within a stack of modeling clay aggregates were compared to FE calculations for two-dimensional cross sections. Results showed that pores within a cubic pack of aggregates deform isotropically even under anisotropic stress conditions. Therefore aggregate arrangement seems to be as important as stress anisotropy to predicting pore shape evolution. Observations of cross sections through a porous sample under compaction showed reduction in both the mean and variance of pore permeability with increasing compaction. Despite predominantly vertical compaction, sample permeability remained nearly isotropic (with only a slight additional decrease in the vertical direction). The Aissen analytical approximation for pore permeability was very similar to numerical results for the entire range of sample deformation, thereby providing a useful tool for estimating sample permeability from images of complex pore cross-sectional areas.

[ 1] This study develops a framework for modeling deformation of individual pores in elastoviscoplastic earth material accounting for the effects of evolving pore size and shape on material hydraulic permeability. We describe the velocity field of a fluid within deforming pores of hypotrochoidal cross-sectional areas as a function of remote stress or deformation and elastoviscoplastic material properties using finite element analysis. We find that pore permeability decreases with increasing stress and deformation. Pore cross-sectional areas are mainly reduced in size while the shape remains constant. Under stress-controlled conditions, change in permeability depends on matrix constitutive laws and loading time while there is no such dependency for controlled strain. Permeability estimates based on the hydraulic radius, Saint-Venant, and Aissen approximations were in good agreement with numerical calculations for a deforming hypotrochoidal pore. We also show that permeability of a deforming hypotrochoidal pore can be modeled using a pore with equivalent elliptical cross-sectional area ( equal initial permeability and size), providing the ellipse has the correct orientation. The study shows that fluid flow in deforming elastoviscoplastic earth material can be modeled on the pore scale knowing the evolution of pore size and shape employing rather simple relations between pore cross-sectional geometry and permeability.

The frequent use of earth materials for hydraulic capping and waste containment requires improved understanding of relationships between soil mechanical dynamics and its hydraulic and transport properties. We study deformation of pores embedded in viscoplastic soils subjected to anisotropic remote stress using Finite Element analysis (FEA). FEA enables consideration of complex pore geometries, and provides a detailed picture of pore cross-section change and subsequent change in hydraulic conductivity. Images of deforming aggregate beds monitored using X-ray computer assisted tomography (CAT) coupled with independently measured soil rheological properties were used to test the FEA model. Pore deformation for different remote stresses was compared with data from compaction experiments using modeling clay and soil aggregates. The impact of inter-aggregate pore deformation on hydraulic conductivity was obtained from detailed FEA model and compared with standard approximations (e.g., using the hydraulic radius). The evolution of complex pore shapes during compaction on prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivity will be discussed.

This paper presents an integrated approach to supplier selection, which takes into account sustainability considerations and allows for the analysis of single sourcing vs. dual sourcing. A set of criteria and subcriteria are identified from the literature and used for the evaluation of the suppliers. In line with the purpose of taking into account sustainability considerations, social sustainability and environmental sustainability criteria are included in the analysis, together with service criteria which reflect the traditional criteria used to evaluate and rank suppliers. The model starts with the analysis of the single sourcing strategy, where a single vendor (supplier #1) is available for a given supply. On the basis of the selection criteria, as well as of a fuzzy logic controller model, a score is computed for supplier #1. Such a score can be compared with the performance of supplier #2, who is taken into account when the dual sourcing strategy is pondered. The proposed model is applied to the case of an Italian company, to show its usefulness in practical cases.

Background and Aims: The importance of indoor environmental conditions in a cellar is well known and continuously investigated. The process of wine ageing consists of several steps, during which temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) play a fundamental role as the quality of the final product is strongly related to stable and suitable environmental conditions. Critical factors, such as mould growth or wine evaporation, have emerged when ventilation has proved to be insufficient or poorly designed. The limitation of stagnant areas and the homogeneity inT and RH provide for proper wine conservation; however, unwanted local conditions can occur in the zones with insufficient air exchange. Methods and Results: Considering these aspects, a controlled microventilation and monitoring system was installed in a case study cellar, and T and RH were monitored for 1 year. The data have been analysed to investigate criticalities of the environmental conditions. The ventilation was activated in specific critical conditions to increase the homogeneity of the T and RH in the critical zones. The results show that the microventilation system improves the homogeneity of both T and RH without affecting the average values. Conclusions: The study demonstrated the efficacy of the system and indicated possible modifications to improve system performance. Significance of the Study: The system proved to be a useful tool for both improving the environmental conditions and providing useful information to the winemakers about the ageing conditions.

In this chapter, the contribution of green roofs in management of the urban water cycle is addressed. Primarily, proper water management strategies are presented, with specific regard to the sustainable practice of irrigation and the definition of water quality standards. We reference the application of alternative water sources, such as rainwater harvesting and gray water regeneration. Then, the environmental, ecological, and financial benefits associated with rooftop greening are described, including reference to life cycle cost assessment. Ecosystem service provision is analyzed in specific relation to the role played by water in improving urban microclimate and air quality and promoting resilience to climate change.

L’invenzione è un impianto di irrigazione automatico per pareti e tetti verdi che si auto-regola sulla base di sensori ambientali che inviano segnali ad un software che attiva la cessione di acqua sulla base delle reali necessità delle piante. Tale sistema è attualmente concepito in una ambito in cui è richiesta un’elevata tecnologia per via delle difficili condizioni di crescita delle piante ma può trovare applicazione anche nell’orticoltura convenzionale e nell’hobbistica. L’impianto di irrigazione permette di cedere acqua senza che si debba intervenire manualmente oppure senza la necessità di avvalersi di una centralina elettronica programmabile. Il sistema è composto da diversi sensori che leggono in real-time i valori in parete e si interfacciano con un software che ne rileva il dato acquisito e controlla quindi in automatico l’apertura e la chiusura di elettrovalvole per la distribuzione di acqua sulla base delle reali necessità del substrato. In questo modo la parete o il tetto verde è continuamente monitorato e ne viene garantita la costante condizione fisiologica ottimale. ’invenzione ha la peculiarità di rilevare autonomamente, ad intervalli di tempo stabiliti, la condizione di idratazione del substrato radicante ed apportare correttivi real-time mediante processi regolati da un software che permette di aprire e chiudere le fonti di distribuzione di acqua e nutrienti. Tale sistema permette quindi di allevare in condizioni ottimali le pareti o i tetti verdi che spesso soffrono la mancanza d’acqua nei periodi più caldi della giornata in quanto gli impianti di irrigazione convenzionali non rilevano le condizioni pedoclimatiche istantanee. Questi aspetti determinano una serie di vantaggi: - Tecnici: facile installazione, compatibile con tutte le pareti, tetti verdi e orticoltura hobbistica; - Economici: di semplice realizzazione, può essere costruito in materiali plastici normalmente utilizzati negli impianti di irrigazione; - Produttivi: permette di dosare correttamente il fertilizzante e l’acqua senza che vi siano sprechi o stress da mancanza di idratazione in quanto regolato real-time dal processore dati. The invention is an automated ferti-irrigation system for green walls and roofs that optimize water release on the basis of real needs of the plants, thanks to humidity sensors that send signals to a software that elaborates them. Such a system is adopted in a field which requires high-technology levels because of the particular plant growth conditions. The irrigation system allows to release water with no need to intervene manually or with a programmable electronic control unit.The system is composed by various sensors for real-time acquisition data and a software interface. Such software elaborates the acquired data and automatically controls the opening and closing of valves for water distribution, released on the basis of substrate real needs.In this way the green wall or roof is continuously monitored, and the optimum physiological condition is constantly guaranteed.Green walls or roofs often suffer from lack of water in the hottest periods of the day, because the conventional irrigation systems do not detect the soil and climatic conditions variations.The invention relates to a system that continuously monitors the hydration conditions of the rhizosphere and manages the real-time release of water thanks to a specific algorithm. Thus, this system allows to maintain the green walls or roofs in optimal conditions.Furthermore, the invention guarantees a set of advantages:- Easy installation: compatible with all the green walls and roofs;- Easy construction: it can be built in plastic materials normally used in conventional irrigation systems;- System doses the water and fertilizer avoiding water waste and soil stress.

L’invenzione concerne una composizione e un metodo per promuovere la crescita di piante erbacee, in particolare piante erbacee comprese in tappeti erbosi per uso sportivo o ornamentale e in terreni agricoli, e favorire un accumulo di sostanza organica nel terreno in cui vivono e crescono le suddette piante erbacee.

Among cereals, durum wheat has a central role in the Italian diet and economy, where there is a historical tradition of pasta making. In the present study, we evaluated the nutrient and nutraceutical properties of 2 old and 6 modern durum wheat varieties grown under low input agricultural management. Considering the lack of available data on the adaptability of existing durum wheat varieties to the low inputa nd organic sectors, the research aimed at providing a complete description of the investigated genotypes, considering the agronomic performance as well as the nutrient and phytochemical composition. The experimental trials were carried out at the same location (Bologna, Northern Italy) for two consecutive growing seasons (2006/2007, 2007/2008). No clear distinction between old and modern varieties was observed in terms of grain yield (mean values ranging from 2.5 to 4.0 t/ha), highlighting that the divergence in productivity, normally found between dwarf and non-dwarf genotypes, is strongly reduced when they are cropped under low input management. All durum wheat varieties presented high protein levels and, in addition, provided remarkable amounts of phytochemicals such as dietary fibre, polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids. Some of the investigated genotypes, such as Senatore Cappelli, Solex, Svevo and Orobel, emerged with intriguing nutritional and phytochemical profiles, with the highest levels of dietary fibre and antioxidant compounds. The study provided the basis for further investigations into the adaptability of the durum wheat genotypes to low input management, for the selection of genotypes characterised by higher yield and valuable nutrient and nutraceutical quality.

Turfgrasses are not only designed for recreation activities, but they also provide beneficial environmental effects and positively influence the human wellness. Their major problems are predisposition to tearing out and microbial diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the inoculation of microorganisms can be effective to improve plant growth and root development of perennial ryegrass, to evaluate new sustainable practice for green preservation. A microorganism-based commercial product was used to amend hydroponically grown Lolium perenne L. and results compared with the use of the same filtered product, a phytohormone solution and an untreated control. Plants were grown for five weeks, shoots cut and measured at one-week interval and, at the end, roots were measured for length and weight. Shoot resistance to tearing out was also tested. Moreover, the main microbial groups present in the product were characterized and the microbial profile of sand and root samples was investigated by PCR-DGGE. The plants treated with the product showed an increased resistance to tearing out with respect to other treatments and roots were longer with respect to the control. Microbial analyses of the product evidenced bacterial and yeast species with plant growth promoting activity, such as Stenothrophomonas maltophilia, Candida utilis and several Lactobacillus species. Some Lactobacillus strains were also found to be able to colonize plant roots. In conclusion, the treatment with microorganisms has a great potential for the maintenance and increased performance of turfgrass surfaces.

It raises a great deal of recent interest that organic wheat constitutes valuable nutraceutical raw material for healthy food production and special dietary uses. In particular, khorasan wheat (T. turgidum ssp. turanicum) has attracted great attention because of its specific nutritional and functional properties (antioxidant, antitumoral and prebiotic activities). Currently, few data about fibre and antioxidant composition of organically grown Kamut® brand grains is available in literature and, as far as we know, the changes of their amounts as a function of cropping year and growing location have never been investigated. Moreover, this is the first study in which an organically grown crop is investigated in a region of such broad expanse, including several different environments, covering an area of approximately 180,000 km2 . The aim of the research was to provide an overview of the health- -promoting properties of Kamut® brand grains produced at different locations (Canada and USA) and to contribute to the understanding of the environmental dynamics affecting the phytochemical profile. A collection consisting of 109 samples of organic Kamut® brand grains harvested in different farms of North America in 2010, was characterized for agronomic traits, antioxidant compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids) and fibre components (soluble and insoluble dietary fibres, resistant starch). As regards the agronomic performance, the results demonstrated a high heterogeneity among samples. Yield, test weight and protein content varied within the intervals 0.30–1.69 t/ha, 49.2–61.1 kg/hl and 12.6– –16.6 g/100 g, respectively. As previously reported in literature, the content of health-promoting compounds is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. In fact, the investigated wheat grains showed great variability for the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (133.6–223.4 and 28.6– –63.6 mg/100g, respectively). The insoluble fibre content varied between 12.55 and 20.25 g/100 g, while the soluble dietary fraction showed less heterogeneity(2.70–4.31 g/100 g). Concerning starch, statistically significant differences were observed between farms for the amounts of both the resistant and the total starch (0.22–1.5 and 57.7–66.4 g/100 g, respectively). The results of the research were computed using Geographic Information System (GIS) to develop quality maps that showed the variability of the phytochemical amounts among the North American farms and allowed the identification of areas in which bioactive compounds had accumulated at a higher level in the wheat grains. According to the present results, the choice of a growing location in which the accumulation of health-promoting compounds (i.e. polyphenols, fibres) is stimulated by specific climatic conditions may be a key factor for the production of organic wheat foodstuff as a functional food.